diff --git a/.changeset/chilled-items-trade.md b/.changeset/chilled-items-trade.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b069885498
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/chilled-items-trade.md
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-common': minor
+---
+
+**BREAKING**: The connection string for `redis` cache store now requires a protocol prefix.
+
+```diff
+backend:
+  cache:
+    store: redis
+-   connection: user:pass@cache.example.com:6379
++   connection: redis://user:pass@cache.example.com:6379
+```
diff --git a/docs/overview/architecture-overview.md b/docs/overview/architecture-overview.md
index 358dc53852..5b6b81cf10 100644
--- a/docs/overview/architecture-overview.md
+++ b/docs/overview/architecture-overview.md
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ backend:
 backend:
   cache:
     store: redis
-    connection: user:pass@cache.example.com:6379
+    connection: redis://user:pass@cache.example.com:6379
 ```
 
 Contributions supporting other cache stores are welcome!
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/config.d.ts b/packages/backend-common/config.d.ts
index 57645d9fda..0c3e3132c0 100644
--- a/packages/backend-common/config.d.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-common/config.d.ts
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ export interface Config {
       | {
           store: 'redis';
           /**
-           * A redis connection string in the form `user:pass@host:port`.
+           * A redis connection string in the form `redis://user:pass@host:port`.
            * @secret
            */
           connection: string;
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/src/cache/CacheManager.test.ts b/packages/backend-common/src/cache/CacheManager.test.ts
index 660aa82bb0..c6cad2e49b 100644
--- a/packages/backend-common/src/cache/CacheManager.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-common/src/cache/CacheManager.test.ts
@@ -195,14 +195,13 @@ describe('CacheManager', () => {
   });
 
   it('returns a Redis client when configured', () => {
-    const redisHostAndPort = '127.0.0.1:6379';
-    const expectedHost = `redis://${redisHostAndPort}`;
+    const redisConnection = 'redis://127.0.0.1:6379';
     const manager = CacheManager.fromConfig(
       new ConfigReader({
         backend: {
           cache: {
             store: 'redis',
-            connection: redisHostAndPort,
+            connection: redisConnection,
           },
         },
       }),
@@ -218,7 +217,7 @@ describe('CacheManager', () => {
     expect(mockCacheCalls[0][0].store).toBeInstanceOf(KeyvRedis);
     const redis = KeyvRedis as jest.Mock;
     const mockRedisCalls = redis.mock.calls.splice(-1);
-    expect(mockRedisCalls[0][0]).toEqual(expectedHost);
+    expect(mockRedisCalls[0][0]).toEqual(redisConnection);
   });
 
   describe('connection errors', () => {
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/src/cache/CacheManager.ts b/packages/backend-common/src/cache/CacheManager.ts
index d63ac6d940..d8652e42d8 100644
--- a/packages/backend-common/src/cache/CacheManager.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-common/src/cache/CacheManager.ts
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ export class CacheManager {
     return new Keyv({
       namespace: pluginId,
       ttl: defaultTtl,
-      store: new KeyvRedis(`redis://${this.connection}`),
+      store: new KeyvRedis(this.connection),
     });
   }